


Beware the Frozen Heart

by NanixErka



Series: The Next Right Thing [1]
Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exposition, Found Family, Frozen AU, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lore - Freeform, Post-Canon, Tags will be updated as the story progresses, Tim the CEO of Time (Mentioned), Tsundere Snatcher, Whump, cooking cat is called cookie, ish, morally ambiguous badge seller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:06:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24854302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanixErka/pseuds/NanixErka
Summary: [...]But the former queen was wise to her sneaking this time, and while yes, the child had been hit with one of her ice blasts,she hadn’t turned to ice!The girl had chalked it up to luck, but now she wasn’t so sure.Maybe the sharp ice magic aimed at her had a lasting side effect?It would explain how, wrapped in her fuzziest, coziest pajamas and covered in blankets and pillows as she was, she was still shivering.
Relationships: Cooking Cat & Hat Kid (A Hat in Time), Hat Kid & Snatcher (A Hat in Time)
Series: The Next Right Thing [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2178639
Comments: 21
Kudos: 286





	1. Act 1: This Icy Force Both Foul and Fair

She’d been feeling cold since her ill-fated mission

It had been a noble cause, she thought. Go back in the freaky manor, grab one of Snatcher’s books that had been “lost in the ice witch’s home” as he’d said, and get showered in his sarcastic praise. 

She knew that it was sincere, she was sure of it 

But the former queen was wise to her sneaking this time, and while yes, the child had been hit with one of her ice blasts, she _hadn’t_ turned to ice! 

The girl had chalked it up to luck, but now she wasn’t so sure.

Maybe the sharp ice magic aimed at her had a lasting side effect? 

It would explain how, wrapped in her fuzziest, coziest pajamas and covered in blankets and pillows as she was, she was still shivering.

“Feeling better?” Cookie popped her head in, a kind smile on the cat’s face. Though it dropped slightly when the child shook their head, Cookie came in further, holding a cup. “Maybe something warm will help” she encouraged. The steaming mug looking far more enticing than hot chocolate usually was.

The little girl poked her hands out of her blankets, opening and closing her fists like a child wanting “upsies”. Cookie handed over the mug, and the sweet warmth permeated the little girl’s hands. She sighed with relief.

“Kiddie” cookie started “It's been 3 days and you’re still cold to the touch” she reached out to touch the child’s frigid forehead “I think I’m gonna contact a friend of mine who's got a little magic know how. I’m gettin’ a little worried” 

The child frowned “I’ll b-be okay” she cringed at her stutter.

“I don’t doubt it, but let an old cat get a little peace of mind, hm?”

Hat kid nodded, appeasing her caretaker- as if she could actually have sway over whether Cookie did that or not. 

“Have you heard from that spooky friend of yours?” Cookie tried to change the subject, and the child’s mild smile turned into a bitter frown

“No cause he’s st-stupid” She grumbled

“From what you told me, he was mad you went back there when he told you not to” 

“I was b-b-being _nice_!” The child whined “he d-d-didn’t have to yell”

“You wanna know what I think?” Cookie said, taking an arm and putting it around the child and her blankets “I think that giant, scary ghost was scared himself”

“Scared? No way!” The little girl argued “why wo-would he be scared?” 

“He was scared for you, sugar” the cat explained, feeling the chill coming off the child through the blankets. “You said he sent you in there once, a few months ago, and told you that he “kind of regretted it”, right?”

The child nodded 

“Then he probably was scared that if you went there again, you’d get hurt”

“B-but I didn’t!” She argued. Cookie leveled a mild glare at the child. She just sheepishly looked away

“Get some rest if you can once you finish the hot chocolate, honey.” The cat patted the girls shoulder and stood up “I have to get back to Mafia Town” 

“Okay” 

Cookie could see the disappointment in the child’s face 

“I’ll be back with my friend soon, okay? We’ll get you back to warm and cozy in no time!”

All she got back was a soft smile before the child took a sip of their hot chocolate

Her chilled hands had left the poor chocolate tepid.

—

Meanwhile , the Subcon Forest, a lone subconite stands outside of their boss’ tree. 

And they were only there because they drew the shortest straw. 

They swallowed their nervousness, and stepped up to the opening, where their grumpy, grumpy boss was floating about in an approximation of a pace.

“Ahem…. Uh, boss?” 

The spectre froze and turned his head sharply, his glowing eyes little more than slits. 

“Uh… uhm well, me and the others wanna know if uh, you’re okay?” 

“.... Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“Uh cause you haven’t left the tree…? Is it cause the newbie left?” 

The glare the boss leveled left the poor subconite wanting to be swallowed up by the floor 

“We- uh - we just.. Uh… we’re worried?” 

“ Uh huh” Was all he got as a response, but a moment later, Snatcher spoke

“... Tell me, lackey” 

“Yes boss?” 

“If I told you not to go somewhere, even if you’d been there before, would you listen?” 

“Of course, boss!” 

“Then why _didn’t she_?!” The ghoul turned around to face his minion, mouth barring angry, jagged lines that resembled teeth

The little shadow person jumped “Uh... Maybe cause you ain’t her boss…?” They suggested

“She could have been _killed!_ ” Snatcher reasoned - and the subconite caught on to his boss’ frustration 

“But boss, she’s amazing! She probs thought she’d be fine like the last time! An’ she was!” 

“That doesn’t mean _do it_!” 

“Well uh, why did she, if ya don’t mind me asking?” 

SNatcher paused, arms uncrossing (When had he crossed them?)

“... she said she wanted to get … a book” 

“A book? What for?” 

There was a moment of silence, and the ghouls tail dropped lower to the ground, though his expression didn’t change. 

“.... For me” 

“So she was doin’ somethin’ to help ya?”

“No it was. Just to get me a book. I didn’t ask”

“So, as like, a gift, boss?” 

“A surprise might be a better word” snatcher reasoned. 

There was another pause, but it seemed much calmer this time 

“... maybe you should go see her, boss? Let her know you uh… forgive her?” 

“Forgive her?” 

“You know, for like, not listening!”

There was a spark in the ghosts eyes. Just the excuse he needed.

“Excellent idea!!” Snatcher exclaimed “watch out for things, I’m off to bug the brat” 

“Su-sure thing boss!!” The Subconite yelled out as the ruler of the Subcon Forest disappeared into the dark sky.

Cheers erupted from the Subconites that had been hiding from their boss’ negative aura. 

Thank goodness he hadn’t tossed anyone, this time around

—

The ship was dark, when Snatcher arrived 

That usually meant the kid was asleep - the realization making his grin widen. This meant that he could scare the kid- a rather fun little pastime. 

As he phased through the walls and into the child’s room, he was instantly hit with two facts: 

One, the kid wasn’t asleep- they seemed to be staring at a tablet, if the glow on their face was any indication 

And two- the room was _hot_

He couldn’t produce any heat other than his magical fire - he was a ghost, after all- but he could _sense_ it, and this room felt like the sun had set up shop in the vents. 

Without even thinking about it, he pointed a finger at the switch for the lights - magic interacted with the electricity and brightened the room. His eyes went back to the child facing away from him, who’d been startled and turned back around.

_Why the hell is she shivering? _

She looked back at him with a slightly confused face, the blankets piled high around her, obscuring nearly everything but her face. Her hair was still pulled up, but seemed a bit frayed as if she hadn’t been taking any care.

But a glint caught his eye.

Rising up from her neck was some kind of reflective pattern, a pale blue, skittering out from her neck into the lower part of her cheek and jaw. It looked like…

_Ice_

“... Kid?” He reaches out cautiously 

“... What are you d—do-doing here?” Se asked cautiously, pulling her blankets further around her “I ca-can’t do any contracts”

“Well I was gonna talk about that stunt you pulled a few days ago but..” he trailed off, looking at her from her bedside “Now I wanna know what’s got you shivering in a room that’s gotta be pushing into summer temperatures”

“I’m j-just sick” She answered, “Th-that’s all” 

“ _Bzzzzzap_!” The man imitated a buzzer “Wrong answer. If you were sick you’d be hotter than a fox fire and you’re-” he playfully put his hand to her forehead, but the moment the ghoulish “skin” touched hers he recoiled, all mirth drained from his face. 

It had been like touching a fucking icicle

She nervously looked away from him, but he wasn’t having it. 

Taking a moment to focus, his form shrunk slightly, and his better proportioned hand touched the child’s cheek to make her face him again, his eyes scrutinizing the snowflake-like patterns that were crystallizing on her cheeks, and when their eyes met, he saw that her iris’ - usually a deep blue - seemed to be bleeding white from the pupil. 

“... What happened?” His voice sounded low, but somehow not threatening. 

All she could answer with was “... I don’t know” 

That didn’t calm the odd, tight feeling where his heart once was. 

“.. When did this start?” 

“Uh… a f-few days ago…?” She reasoned. She knew it had been 3 days. She didn’t want to say the exact amount of time. 

“.... The manor” He realized

She sheepishly looks away again - as if her hand was caught in the cookie jar. 

“What did she-” He growled 

“What in the heck is goin’ on here!?” 

The two turned to the door, where Cookie, whose ears were perked up in surprise at Snatcher’s presence, was standing

“H-hi cookie” The girl greeted. Snatcher removed his hands from the child’s face. 

“Hi honey” the cat’s eyes softened. “I have my friend here. Can he come in?” 

The child nodded, and Cookie glanced at Snatcher, nodding to him before she went back for her “friend” 

“And _why_ is her friend here?” 

“He’s apparently real good at magic and-and st-stuff” She argued on her cooking friend’s behalf. 

“... What did … _she_ … attack you with?” he attempted to ask again- rewording himself. 

“A...uh…” She sunk even further into the blankets “There were these.. big blasts of ice.. I thought one had hit me but nothing happened…” The girl explained. 

“Well something _did_ , you little brat” He snapped “Why didn’t you come to me?” 

Her brow furrowed “But you yelled at me and told me to get lost” 

Oh. 

He did say that, didn’t he. 

At a loss for how to respond in a way that didn’t make him sound like an ass, he was saved when the door opened, and Cookie entered, followed closely by - 

“B-b-badge seller? Your C-cookie’s magic friend?” 

“I am magic to many, but a friend to few” The seller greeted, their face never changing. “Luckily for you and Cookie, I happen to be both.”

The mask of the seller turned to Snatcher, who looked a bit uncomfortable 

“Greetings, Snatcher” 

The ghost did not respond. 

The badge seller didn’t address further, and approached the bed, sitting at the edge “Can you come out of the blankets for just a moment?” they asked, gently. 

The child nodded nervously, crawling out of their pile of blankets and revealing their fuzzy, space-themed footed pajamas. 

Snatcher would have mocked it, if their hands weren’t blue and covered in those snow patterns. She was shivering even more now. His eyes fell to her neck, where he saw even more of the same, the pale blue seemed so stark on her skin, crawling slowly by the millimetre up to her jawline. 

The seller took her hand in theirs, and rubbed the thumb over her hand, examining closely. They then looked at her face, using their free hand to turn their head and look at the unsettling ice patterns across the front of the child’s throat. 

“Child, can you unzip your pajamas, i just need to see your heart” The seller requested, and the stuttering child didn’t bother answering verbally. She unzipped just a few inches and moved the fabric to the right - the most obvious sign she was an alien, really. 

Cookie let out a soft gasp

The area over the child’s heart was completely dark blue, covered in contrasting crystallized ice patterns that spidered out right from over her heart and supposedly over the rest of her body 

“... As I feared…” the seller spoke 

“What- what?” Snatcher couldn’t hide the anxiousness in his voice. 

“The Ice Queen… She has frozen your heart, hatted child” 

“... My heart? That’s impossible” the girl responded. “Why wouldn’t she have just frozen all of me?” 

“I suspect it might have something to do with your alien biology, dear.” The seller explained “Your body and will are strong, and your magic stronger.. but not stronger than hers” 

“So.. she only froze part of her” cookie asked, trying to understand

“It is more like the magic only affected what it could. And now that it has taken root in our hatted friend, it is spreading.” 

“Spreading..?” The girl nervously spoke, her trembling worsening “like-like a virus?”

“In a way, yes” they nodded, their finger tapping right over the child’s heart. The 'clink'ing noise that her chest made unsettled every being in the room. “An infection of ice, spreading from your heart to the rest of you. If not properly taken care of… You will freeze, like all other statues in the ice queen’s home” 

Snatcher wanted to strangle the bastard for letting the pause linger before he spoke again 

“Well how the hell do we _fix it_??” Snatcher hissed, his claws digging into the child’s bed

“Hm…” The seller contemplated “Fixing it, i am unsure, but there is possibly a way to keep the magic at bay” 

“... H-how?” The little pre- icicle asked. 

“Snatcher” 

The ghoul’s brow furrowed “What” 

“Your magic is fire. Would you please summon some and bring it close to the child’s hand” The seller instructed. Holding up the child’s shaking fingers to the ghost. 

_Oh, right. Magic beget’s magic._

He summoned a small, but vibrant blue flame in his hand, and brought it forward, keeping it a safe distance from the child’s hands. And the three adults watched as the icy patterns started to fade, seeming to melt away- her healthy skin tone kissing the tips of her fingers “Wh-whoa!” Her eyes widened and - for the first time in almost 3 days, she grinned. 

Cookie couldn’t help but smile back. 

Snatcher meanwhile, almost couldn’t believe that it was his magic doing this. He was reversing Vanessa’s horrible magic with his own. Like keeping the ice in the forest at bay. Like keeping the subconites safe in their hollows. He hadn’t been able to save any of the statues in Vanessa’s manor… but he could help the kid

Another little way to stick it to Vanessa, certainly, but somehow, he wasn’t even thinking about that. 

_“My magic is keeping the kid alive”_ was perhaps the most pervasive thought. _“She won’t freeze. She’ll be fine”_

“Okay, so I just unfreeze her? Seems too easy” he stated, a light twinge of uncertainty to his voice 

“It is unfortunately not that simple. We will need to find someone who knows how to untangle magic. I know a few people who we can ask” The badge seller explained. 

“What do we do then?” Cookie asked

“Unfortunate to say but out hatted friend will need that fire to keep the freezing at bay for now, which means that, if Snatcher is willing…” 

“What?” The ghoul furrowed his brow 

“Either you have to stay with her, or she stays with you, until I can get someone to untangle the web of ice around her heart” 

Snatcher nearly expected that answer 

“For how long?” 

“Minimum of a few hours, maximum a few days” the seller admitted “it is dependent on who I can get to help her” 

Snatcher looked out the child’s window, the back to her. Her hand was nearly back to normal.. but the rest of her wasn’t. 

_She needed him._ She needed him in a way that made his heart twist- if he even still had one after all these centuries. 

Vanessa has caused this, and he’d made it his afterlife’s work to fix her mistakes. . . But this felt more dire, somehow. 

He made brief eye contact with the child, and was not surprised, if a little disappointed, when he saw the doubt in them. 

He hadn’t proven himself a very good BFF, did he? 

“I can do it” he finally voiced, watching a mixture of surprise and relief fall across her expression “as long as he kiddo doesn’t mind popping down to Subcon so I can keep track of my various little minions

“I don’t!” She jumped, while putting her other hand over the fire 

“Gah, careful you little doofus, this fire might be magic but it can still burn like a bi-”

He could _feel_ Cookie’s glare. 

“-iiiiig ouch” 

The child furrowed their brow, but didn’t comment

“Shall we set up a contract then?” The Badge Seller suggested “To get it in writing” 

Snatcher wanted to be offended that he asked for one, but he also understood. 

For most, the Subcon Snatcher could only be trusted so far as he was thrown, and he was incorporeal. 

So, with a snap, a contract shows up, fully formed as always. He added a stipulation that the child remain by his side until fully recovered, _and_ that the child never goes anywhere near the manor again. 

If only for his peace of mind. 

The Badge seller nodded in approval, and he, Snatcher, and the child all signed. CC wasn’t needed for the contract, but did make a show of reading it to make sure that the poor child wasn’t being extorted. Which Snatcher had already done, but felt offended anyway. 

As if he had any damn right. 

The contract disappeared once approved, and the badge Seller looked back at Snatcher

“I will be back as soon as I find help. Keep your fire consistent” 

“I know what to do” the spectre bristles 

Despite the lack of an emotive face, Snatcher could see the unimpressed glare. 

“Alright then. Won’t you join me, Cookie?” 

“Of course, of course!” 

And with that, it was just Snatcher and the kid. 

He looked down at the girl, whose hands were still crowded around the one fire he’d summoned. She looked up at him, and blinked. 

Her eyes were still going white, despite the color returning to her fingers. 

He had a rather uncomfortable feeling that their trouble was only just starting.


	2. Act 2: Magic Can't Be Controlled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Kid, I’m not a bed”_
> 
> _She only let out a half awake whine in response._
> 
> _“Ugh, come on, brat. I can’t sew and hold you at the same time. This was a one time thing.”_
> 
> _She just whined again._
> 
> _Snatcher groaned - perhaps a bit over dramatically. He was just going to have to work around this, it seemed._

The first problem they had was when she finally went to sleep. It hadn’t taken much for him to convince her to get some shut eye - a little teasing about the bags under her eyes and getting “strong armed” (he made a show of complaining, basically) into reading her a story was enough for the child. 

As it turns out, she was a restless sleeper, and try as he might, he had to keep constant vigil so she wouldn’t get burned. One wrong turn and her hair might catch on fire, or her foot in her almost disgustingly adorable footie pajamas, or her hands, which finally looked like her hands and not like someone had shaped them in snow. 

A far too exhausting process. He had to find another way. 

Taking a moment as she settled down, he brainstormed with a certain fervor, hand resting where his chin probably was. 

How would he be able to keep her warm and not-freeze… 

He popped up from his thinking position. An enchanted blanket! Brilliant! With the enchantment trapped in an inside layer, there wouldn’t be the threat of burning, and it would last even when he wasn’t there! 

He mentally went over what he’d need (fabric, thread, perhaps a specific potion to enhance the fabrics durability…), and then looked back at the still sleeping girl. He’d have to head back to his hollow in Subcon… but he couldn’t leave her alone. 

He sighed. Carrying it is. Summoning the fire away from her for a moment, he allowed it all to gather inside his barely corporeal form, feeling the heat resonating from where his chest supposedly was. As careful as he could manage with his noodley arms, he kept the child wrapped in her own blankets - _geez how is she shivering already?_ \- and nervously held her against his chest with one arm. She squirmed a bit, but upon feeling the warmth leaned into it, and hand grabbing at his fluff. 

He prayed to whatever gods existed that he wasn’t as bright in the face as he felt, before he teleported the two of them back to Subcon. 

It only took him a few minutes to gather his supplies: some old fabrics, his sewing kit, a reference book of quilting designs -if he was gonna make a magical blanket, dangit it was going to be a _nice_ magical blanket- and then a stop in his lab for the durability potion. Before he could leave, however, he felt a shifting in his arms. 

He looked down to see her face twisted in an uncomfortable expression. 

“Kid?” he voiced, quickly sending his supplies into his pocket dimension and awkwardly reaching for her, unsure of what to do. Was she uncomfortable? Maybe too hot? Was there such a thing as “too hot” when you were at risk of freezing to death? 

But then she let out a frightened sounding whimper, and he quickly put together what was happening. 

A nightmare. 

And by the looks of the squirming and whimpering, it seemed to be taking a turn for the worse. 

“Kid? Hey, kid, come on, wake up” his form shrunk slightly so his hand could fit on her shoulder, shaking her a bit “Come on, wake up” 

But she wouldn’t. 

Stuck without a proper way to wake her up, he teleported back up to her ship and kept her in his arms, brain scrambling for how to deal with the squirming child. 

Racked with confusion, his mind took a sharp turn into his memories, where he recalled what his father used to do when he suffered from bad dreams. 

Figuring he had nothing to lose, he allowed his form to shrink further, and, with a slight nervousness in his actions, brushed her hair away from her face, almost like he was petting her. 

After a few moments and repetitions of the action, the squirming and the whimpering seemed to calm. 

Huh, It worked. Thanks, King Jakob. 

He continued petting her head for perhaps longer than needed, eyes wandering over her pillow pile, before moving his hand after feeling the child’s ponytail loosen. He looked down at his hand, confused as to how he made that happen-

And was met with a very human palm. 5 fingers and all. 

He nearly dropped her, he was so startled. 

He hadn’t taken this form willingly in centuries. He hadn’t accidentally turned in almost 40. 

But there his hand was, almost mocking him. 

He looked over at the reflective surface of the mirror, seeing his long bangs in his vision, brushing them away carelessly as he saw his faint, human body in the reflection. 

His stomach fluttered uncomfortably. Why had this happened? What had he done? 

She started squirming in his arms again, followed by a meek, tired voice. 

“Hm…. huh?” 

His glowing eyes looked down at her and he froze, watching the barely awake child fumble a bit in his hold, her head resting on his shoulder. 

_Don’t notice. Don’t notice._

She let out a small whimpering sound, before adjusting herself in his hold, and shutting her eyes again. 

He held his nonexistent breath until she fell back to sleep. 

Restless indeed. 

He let out a deep, anxious sigh, before shutting his eyes and focusing, his form elongating once again to his default state. 

That had been far, far too close. 

Floating over to her bed, he moved to deposit her , summoning the flames again… but she wouldn’t budge, hands firmly grasping his fluff, and grumbling as he attempted to push her off. 

“Kid, I’m not a bed” 

She only let out a half awake whine in response. 

“Ugh, come on, brat. I can’t sew and hold you at the same time. This was a one time thing.” 

She just whined again. 

Snatcher groaned - perhaps a bit over dramatically. He was just going to have to work around this, it seemed.

Snapping away the fire, he looked over at the pillow pile for a moment, brow furrowed. 

“I guess that’ll work” he muttered, floating over and resting himself right in the middle. Changing his size again, he removed his hand, and the little girl remained resting comfortably on him, her chest rising and falling in deep, even breaths. 

He could work around this. 

He summoned his needed items from his pocket dimension, and opened the quilting book to a page on the basics, his fabric and sewing needle ready and in hand. 

He spent the next several hours sewing while she slept, his eyes sometimes falling to her, watching her chest rise and fall. Her weight was… comfortable, oddly enough. Reassuring. He tried not to linger on it as he made quick work of the blanket’s inner layer, taking time to sew the sigil needed with accuracy. Once done, he allowed his magic to flow, and the sigil glowed dimly. He could already feel the heat radiating off of it. 

Excellent. 

He continued working on it, just starting on the final detail stitching as he felt the weight on his chest squirm, and a tired voice call out

“... Snatcher?” 

“Hey there, you little koala” he kept his voice uncharacteristically low

“... You’re warm” she stated, almost sounding amazed 

“Thats what fire magic does, kiddo” 

“Mmph, you’re comfy” She continued, laying her head back down “Fluffy and cute” 

The ghost bristled “I am _NOT_ fluffy and cute, you little gremlin!” 

She let out a giggle, turning her head and resting it on her elbows. He could see the ice patterns at the base of her neck still, but it no longer colored her rosy cheeks “You totally are. The cutest, BFF!” 

He groaned “Just for that I’m not giving you the enchanted blanket.” 

Her eyes widened - nearly seeming to sparkle. The bleeding white was still there, kissing her pupils. 

“Enchanted blanket??” She nearly squealed, “That’s awesome!” 

“Well you’re not getting it if you call me cute, you cretin” He sneered, though it had no bite. 

She giggled a little “Sorry Snatcher, You’re fun to annoy” She admitted “You always get so…. So jumpy! And loud! What’s the word” 

“... Animated?” 

“Yeah, that!” 

He’d forgotten English wasn’t her first language. 

“Well, stay put. I’m almost done, then we have to go down to Subcon so I can do my rounds” 

“Rounds?” 

He proceeded to go into perhaps a bit too much detail about his daily schedule - from giving the Subconites things to do, to stealing mail, to stopping the fire spirits and handling the dwellers and setting up his traps

The girl just blinked at him “... That’s a lot. I’ll be honest, i kinda thought you like, read all day” 

“What gave you that impression?” 

“Every time I come see you, you’re reading.” 

“You only ever see me when I finish my duties” He argued “You’re almost always asleep while I work, I've realized” 

“Oh, nifty!” 

Snatcher grimaced “Honestly, where do you learn these words?” 

“Video games!” She admitted

“I have no idea what those are, but I am certain they’re not good for you” 

She just pouted at that. 

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, with the girl falling in and out of a relaxed, half asleep state as he continued to sew. About an hour later, the blanket was finished. 

“Hah! Still got it!” 

“Lemme see lemme see!” The girl turned around and sat up. 

The blanket itself was of a modest size, a perfect square about 6 ish feet across, covered in rather delicate looking stitching with yellow thread that played out simple swirling patterns. 

“Wow… that’s so cool!” She took in the stitching. “I wish I could sew. I just use insta glue when my clothes rip” 

“Insta… glue?” Snatcher almost winced in disgust “Your weird alien planet never bothered to teach you any life skills?” 

There was a noticeable change in the girls expression at the mention of her home planet. Some.. distaste, clearly, but also a hint of something else. 

Something Snatcher didn’t really want to touch

“Ahem, well, anyway” Snatcher continued, proceeding to lay the blanket on the pillow pile “Wanna know the best part of the blanket?” 

She nodded, eyes wide. 

He proceeded to pick her up by the back of her pajamas, and plop her in the blanket, getting some amusement when she yelped.

She looked like she was about to yell, but then, her hand touched the warmed blanket, and she started down, mouth open. 

“It’s warm!” 

“I told you it was enchanted, kiddo!” 

“But you didn’t tell me _how_!” She pressed “Ya coulda made it like a floating blanket or something” She explained, while also trying to wrap herself in the soft, warm fabric. She felt the heat radiate into and let out a relieved sigh

“... Is it comfortable? Its not too cold?” 

She opened her eyes (when had she closed them?) And looked up at him with a smile 

“It’s perfect! … Thank you” She sincerely said, causing the ghosts face to light up like a caution sign. She giggled “Flustered, mister nasty ghost?” 

“Shut up and wrap yourself up. We’ve got to get back to Subcon” He grumbled. 

The usually hatted girl grinned, and proceeded to shuffle herself out of the pile and lay the blanket on the ground, flattening it. 

The fact that the minute she was out of it, she was trembling still bothered him, but the feeling didn’t last.

Instead, he felt the need to bite back a laugh as she laid herself down on one end, and proceeded to roll herself up like a scroll 

“Ready!” She stated, after finishing the roll up “You're gonna have to pick me up, I can’t stand” 

“You are ridiculous” He tried to scold, but his smile gave away his amusement as he picked the rolled up girl around her middle, carrying her like one might a pillow under an arm. 

“Hey, carry me like a normal person you butt!” She squirmed, arms stuck. 

“Mmmm, nah. You’re easier to handle when you’re worm shaped” 

“I’m not a worm! I’m a burrito!” She argued

“... What is a burri- you know what, I don’t care, if you’re gonna keep whining” he made a show of being annoyed, shifting her so she was resting in one arm, with her head on his 'Shoulder' so to speak “better, “burrito”?” 

She squirmed a bit to get comfortable “Mmmmm yes!” She grinned. 

“Good, cause off we go!” he announced, with little more than a spin of his hand before the two of them disappeared into the darkness - teleporting deep into the Subcon forest.


	3. Act 3: (Frozen) Heart Worth Mining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Are we out?” She asked_
> 
> _“Yeah, kid. Come on, I gotta put you down. You take away from my fear factor”_
> 
> _She poked her head back out “As if you have any” She cheekily commented._
> 
> _“Hey- just because you have no proper fear measurement doesn’t mean other people aren’t appropriately afraid of me” he argued, putting her on the ground in her blanket “Don’t leave the blanket” He instructed_
> 
> _As if to affirm his instructions, she pulled it up further to her nose._
> 
> _He couldn’t hide an amused smile before turning away, blending into the shadows and watching the helpless mafia goon hang from the trap._

Snatcher didn’t even flinch as they entered the forest near his hollow, the kid wrapped up in one arm, the other poised near his mouth 

“ **MMMMMMINIOOOONS!!** ” He screamed out. 

A cavalcade of Subconites came running from the shadows and shallow grasses. 

“Gonna need AAAAAALL hands on deck today- in pairs! Is everyone accounted for?” 

“Nell’s in the lab, Percy is watching the bridge and Jack has the entrance, but yea!” A taller Subconite announced. 

“Excellent!” Snatcher nodded his approval 

“Uh, Boss, I gotta ask” One smaller minion spoke up “Why’s the newbie with ya?” 

“Newbie got herself half frozen by the ice witch who shall not be named, and I am contractually obligated to make sure she doesn’t die” He summed up “Now-” 

He proceeded to assign every pair of Subconites a specific task. From checking certain areas to monitoring others to picking up miscellaneous items, not a single minion was unaccounted for in the proceedings. 

Once they were all assigned and running off in different directions, the little girl looked up to him “So uh, what’s next? Checking the fire spirits?” 

“Yuuup!” He drawled “After that we gotta check on my traps!” 

“Why do the foxes come around, anyway?” She asked

“Well, I just think they know I make fire and wanna help, but they’re only happy once they’ve had their fire fulfilled and they can move onto their next fire” 

“That's weird” 

“You said it, not me” he shrugged, flying them over to the fire spirits, and using his free hand to freely toss the portraits and other wood into the fire without so much as greeting the creatures 

“Hey, where did all these portraits come from?” 

“Old houses from the village, probably. Maybe even from that manor” 

“... Really? I didn’t see a lot of portraits in the manor.. There was one with a prince and a princess on it.. It was really pretty, even if it was all ripped up.” She thought out loud. 

Snatcher decidedly did not comment on that. 

Once the foxes had been dispersed, he suddenly felt a magical trip go off “Ahhhh finally, fresh meat” he grinned 

“Huh? Meat? Like bacon?” 

“No, but close. Souls!” He floated up a bit “One of my traps was set off. Gotta go see who got suckered in!” 

“Souls aren’t meat!” The girl pointed out 

“Well they’re all I can eat, so shove it” He argued back petulantly “Now stay still” he ordered, giving her all but a moment before his grip on her tightened and he dove right into the ground, enveloping the duo in shadow. 

She’d never felt the chill and mist of the shadow before, and it made her face feel like it was on pins and needles. 

Before they’d exited, she’d shoved her head into the burrito of her blanket 

“.. You okay, kid?” 

“Are we out?” She asked 

“Yeah, kid. Come on, I gotta put you down. You take away from my fear factor” 

She poked her head back out “As if you have any” She cheekily commented. 

“Hey- just because you have no proper fear measurement doesn’t mean other people aren’t appropriately afraid of me” he argued, putting her on the ground in her blanket “Don’t leave the blanket” He instructed

As if to affirm his instructions, she pulled it up further to her nose. 

He couldn’t hide an amused smile before turning away, blending into the shadows and watching the helpless mafia goon hang from the trap. 

Oh, he wasn’t gonna give this dude much of a chance - their souls were weak, but at least he’d have a meal to replenish the magic he’d used. Fire magic wasn’t “cheap” per se. 

Falling into the shadows, he gave himself a second, and then, with a bellowing laugh, slunk his way out of the shadows, all his fire and bombast behind him. 

“ ** _AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA YOU FOOOOOOOOOL!_** ” He yelled out at the cowering man. 

“M-MAFIA HEAR OF GHOST! G-GHOST IS SOUL SNATCHER!!” The man squirmed “MAFIA WAS WARNED!!!” 

“ ** _AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU DID NOT HEED!_** ” He commented “ ** _SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA! SUCKS TO BE YOU!_** ” 

“B-But Mafia wants riches in forest?” 

“ **Pfft, lies** ” Snatcher commented “ **See, I don’t feel like being pedantic or overly theatrical. So, we’re gonna keep this…** ” he reached his hand out, and pulled back, watching the flimsy soul of the mafioso fly into his hand “ **simple** ” 

“B-but mafia needs soul!” The man whined- seeming more inconvenienced than outright terrified now- though he was still very much that

“ **Too bad, so sad!** ” The ghost grinned, swallowing the soul right in front of him. He proceeded to carelessly toss the man back onto the ground “ **Now SCRAM, before I eat YOU** ” 

The burly man didn’t even look back. 

“... That was fast” The girl commented

“Eh, i wasn’t really _feeling_ it today.” Snatcher commented “Now, where were we-” 

His sentence stopped as her stomach proceeded to growl

She pulled the blanket over her head in embarrassment. 

“... Hungry, kid? You sounded like a bear for a minute there” 

“Shut up! I’m just a lil’ hungry” She grumbled from under her magical blanket

“Okay, Lunchtime for the little brat!” He scooped her right up 

She yelped a bit just before they teleported back up to her spaceship. 

They were greeted by Rumbi, who beeped happily at the two of them 

“Your vacuum is making a lot of not-vacuum noises” 

“How do you know what a vacuum is, but not video games?” The kid asked in response to the comment “That doesn’t make sense” 

“Shut up” He retorted. “Where do you keep your weird alien food” 

“Put me down, I can make my own food!” She wiggled, and he unceremoniously dropped her on the ground - though it was a pretty short distance, so she wasn’t hurt. 

Was that on purpose? He wouldn’t say. 

“Okay then” he raised his hands in mock defeat “Seriously, do you have a kitchen” 

“Of course I have a kitchen! Where do you think I get all of my food?” 

“I thought you just photosynthesized like a plant” He jokingly shrugged, to which the girl rolled her eyes, and, still wrapped in her blanket, waddled herself up and over to her kitchen. It was pretty funny to watch. 

And with that, he was alone. 

He took a moment to look out at the planet from the bridge's window, down at where Subcon seemed to stare back at him. 

His stare lasted long enough that he was started by a rather abrupt, extended beeping noise

_BEEEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEP_

“Gah, what the -” 

“BOW!!” His little charge jumped out from where she came from (her kitchen, he assumed) and bounded down the stairs with her blanket wrapped around her neck. 

“Bow?” 

“Move, noodle! I gotta answer the phone!” She started pushing at him to move him away from her console, and she pressed a large button. And a screen popped right up 

“Bow??” 

“That’s me!” said the person on the screen. Another girl around her age popped up on the screen. She had dark skin and bright eyes, with tight, curling hair and a big, blue bow in her hair. 

“Hi!!! How’s Ebottstat?” 

“Oh, it's so cool! There's a skeleton scientist whose helpin’ us fix the ship. I wish I’d called earlier, you woulda really liked him” 

“Like, a , _skeleton_ skeleton? That's so cool!” 

“I know! How are you holding up on “Earth”?” 

The little hat kid adjusted her blanket “I’m a little under the weather but I’m feelin’ better already!” 

“Aw, that sucks but at least you’re-” Bow finally spotted the floating ghost in the room “Whhhhhat’s that?” She pointed. 

She turned her head to Snatcher, then back at Bow “Oh, that's the noodle I told you about! Snatcher!” 

“Nood- kid i’m not a-” 

“He doesn’t look like a noodle!” 

“Thank you” Snatcher pointed to Bow “She’s got a good head on her shoulder-” 

“He’s fuzzy like a cat” 

Snatcher looked back up at the screen and gave the girl a skeptical look. 

“Are all of you aliens just plain weird?” 

“We are _not_ weird!” Bow huffed through the screen “You’re a fuzzy ghost, _that’s_ weird!” 

He wished he had an argument for that 

“Whatever I’m going to read” he turned around, phasing right through the nearby wall to leave the kid to talk to her fellow aliens. 

_God, those weird kids. Why are kids traveling space alone? Is that what kids just **do** on other planets? That seems like a **horrible** idea. _

Maybe he should just… ask, maybe. Just to satiate his curiosity. That’s all. 

It took another 20 minutes before the little adventurer totted in with the blanket, looking around until her eyes fell on him “Hey!” 

“Hi” 

She walked up the ramp to him. 

“Whatcha reading?” She asked. 

“A book” He answered 

“What kinda book?” 

“The kind you read” 

She pouted 

“... Say, kid” 

“Hm?” 

“Why on earth are you and your kiddo friends galavanting through the galaxy with no adult supervision?” He bluntly asked “Don’t you have an adult that doesn’t want you to die?” 

“... We don’t have parents” She admitted “When you’re born, you’re raised in the nursery, then go to the school, then you go out into space” 

… Okay, he hadn’t been expecting that simple, succinct explanation. 

“... Not gonna lie, kid. That's… what do the kids say … a “big yikes”?” 

She gave him a bewildered expression “Never say that again” 

“Only if you elaborate, kid. I will gladly annoy you with “Yeet” speak” He grinned, and she couldn’t stop an amused smile

“Okay but only if you never say “Big Yikes” or “yeet” ever again” 

“It’s a deal!” He poofs away his book “Gimmie the details, gremlin” 

Said gremlin sat herself down, her legs kicking off the edge into the pillow pile. 

“So, on my planet, we’re all children of the _Time Trees_ ” 

“... What” 

“The _Time Trees_! I think I have pictures somewhere. They’re the roots of the universe!"

"Adults watch over the kids until they’re old enough to talk, then we go to the Time School to learn how to create, take care of and harvest Time Sand and Timepieces.” 

“... Well that doesn’t sound very fun” He commented. 

She paused for a moment, and pulled her blanket further around herself. 

“Well, We didn’t know any different” She admitted “It was… weird, going to other worlds and… seeing kids my age with their parents, or siblings and…. Well, they didn’t do all the stuff I did. They just.. Had fun and went to school and had bedtimes and chores and… It was weird” 

“Well, what are you doing now? You’ve been annoying me for months now” he poked

She chuckled a little “Well, I mean, I’m supposed to report to the CEO of time and the Time Authority with my timepieces. . . but, I kinda don’t want to. I like this place. I know the Mu stuff was crazy but, everyone here is really nice” 

“Not much going on with the Time Authority?” 

“Not really, yeah” she sighed. “I would just… I dunno, give the Timepieces to the Authority and then get sent on another mission.” 

“That’s it? No friends? What about the Bow kid?” 

“She’s always on missions too. We only see each other during calls these days. We used to be in all the same classes in Time School” she kicked her legs “She was like… my sister. She’s the best” She looked up at him “When I learned what a family was, she-… I realized she was my family. My only family, really” 

“I mean, family is cool. Traveling is cool too. You’re livin’ the life” The ghost floated down in the pillow pile, looking up at the child. 

“I dunno, sometimes I feel like it’d be nice to have a home…But life's not so bad, you know?” She forced a smile “I get to travel all over, make friends, all that stuff.” 

She looked down at him and stood up with a contemplative face. 

“What?” he asked, just as she wrapped herself up and jumped, 

“AAAHHHH!” 

She jumped in right next to him, startling the ghost into flight 

“What the HECK was that for???” 

But she had disappeared into the pillows. 

“... Kid?” 

No response. 

He awkwardly started pushing the pillows around “Kid? Where are you hiding?” 

A little hand suddenly grabbed his “Come down here!!” she pulled, and he was surprised enough that she was able to yank him down into the pillows. 

“Gah, fft, kid what?” 

He was pulled with a final yank into a small space, causing him to shrink unconsciously. 

“Welcome to my secret place!” She grinned in the low light. 

He looked around the small space “It's tiny” 

She pouted a bit “Duh” was all she responded with, grabbing a book and flipping through the pages “Hmmmm - Here it is!” 

She showed him a two-page illustration, in deep blues and vibrant greens and chilled yellows. The image of the trees were chillingly similar to his own forest. He was starting to understand why she liked Subcon so much. It reminded her of her birthplace. 

His glowing eyes looked over the height of the trees, the leaves that seemed to glow, and the holes in the trees that seemed to be where the children were… born? Birthed? What’s the right term when you’re born in a tree? Bloom? Grow? 

“So uh, you just… were born in a tree? These trees?” 

“Mhm. You’re raised in the forest until you can speak in sentences and count to 10” She explained “Once you can do that, you go to school” 

“Well that sounds a little arbitrary” He commented

She just shrugged, and turned the page, showing him a new painting of a spiraling, swirling tower that seemed to be made of glistening bronze with foliage poking out 

“This is the school” she pointed “When you’re younger, you live down here” she pointed to the wider base “But as you get older and learn more, you move up” She dragged her finger to the middle of the tower “This is where you get to design and make your ship, and from there you can either stay and become a member of the Time Authority, or become a Sand Harvester.” 

“And you chose a Harvester?” 

“Well… kinda. You have to prove that you can travel and harvest the sand and make timepieces before officially having the title and uh… heh, I’m not really there yet” She admitted, turning the page again. This page had an actual picture, with an older man posed in front of a sleek, advanced looking ship “This is Tim, he’s the CEO of time” She then pointed to the photo next to him, showing a much younger man - a boy, really - with dark hair and the same, colorful markings “And this is Timmy, kinda” 

“Kinda?” 

“Well uh, you see, Tim and Timmy are… kinda the same person? Tim was the first child of the Trees” She recited “Because the trees don’t wanna lose him, time kinda wobbles around him and his age changes” She pointed to another photo, this time of a clearly different man “This is Thor! He’s not from the Time Trees, but he helps us build all the ships! He’s really cool” 

Snatcher suddenly realized something 

“Hey kid, these people all have names, but I don’t actually think I know yours. I can’t read your language” 

Hat kid shifted slightly, huddling further into the blanket “Well uh, uhm, I don’t really have one? The Trees don’t care about names, and between everyone at the school you just uh, gain nicknames? I got by Hat Kid, ‘cause of my hat.” She explained “Sometimes, when you do something really, really great you get a name, like Tim cause he’s the CEO.” 

“... Then what the heck are you signing my contracts with?? Gibberish??” 

“No!” She argued “I just sign them “Hat Kid” She explained. “You know, cause.. That’s my name, I guess” 

“That is not a name” 

“Well neither is “Snatcher” but I still call you that!” 

“I’m a ghost, kid. I don’t _need_ a name!” The ghost proclaimed 

“But uh… Do you have one? Or had one?” She asked

“... Once, yes” He answered passively. 

“Well why don’t you anymore?” She asked, leaning over his view of the book. 

He genuinely contemplated the question, his glowing eyes looking at her earnest, curious ones. 

The paler color was still there, circling her pupil like it was taunting him. 

Why wasn’t that leaving? Was the blanket’s magic not strong enough?

“Snatcher?” 

“Huh?” 

“You okay? You’re like, staring. Is there something on my face?” She reached up and patted her cheek

He recovered quickly, reaching a finger to her face and poking the other cheek 

“Yeah there is. Your face” 

She scoffed and giggled “Shut up!” She pushed his hand away and started to clamor out of her secret place. He squirmed his way out right after her, and she marched over to her bed, sitting with the blanket still around her shoulder. 

“Do you gotta do anything else in Subcon?” She asked - seemingly forgetting her previous question.

“Yeah, gotta check and make sure all of my minions aren’t slacking off” he confirmed. 

She proceeded to tie her blanket around her neck, and reached her hands up to him. 

“Up then!” She bounced a bit

He couldn’t help but roll his eyes dramatically before picking her up “How old are you, 4?” He playfully teased as she adjusted the blanket around her, and leaned her head on him

“No!” She argued “but… I've never been held before. It’s nice.”

He wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but something in his chest twisted just a bit. 

So instead of saying anything, he fell with her into the shadows, and got them back down to Subcon.


	4. Act 4: Cut Through the Heart, Cold and Clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _She smiled a little, her head turning into his fluff and sighed._
> 
> _Snatcher thanked the moon and stars and his long dead father that she seemed much calmer now. King Jakob had always been good at distracting him from his anxiousness. A helpful skill that Snatcher was surprised that he remembered, but was grateful that he did._
> 
> _He decided to ignore that he kept using his *father’s* tricks that the man had used to help *his children*_
> 
> _Yup. Totally going to ignore that._

Time passed rather quickly in Subcon, with all of the running around and micromanaging that Snatcher was engaging in, and by the time that Snatcher had finished up in his lab, she had fallen asleep against his furry mane. He pondered if, perhaps, the cold was making her tired. A concerning trend. 

He teleported them back up to her ship after he’d finished some rather tedious lab work, and, realizing that they were still alone, sat down on her bed, coiling around her as he read a new book. She seemed perfectly content all cozied up in his coiled form, her head shoved into his odd fluff. 

He wasn’t really sure how much time passed before the door to the child’s room opened, and light flooded the space. 

“Ah, good. She’s resting” 

Snatcher looked up, seeing the Badge Seller and Cooking Cat come up to the bed. The cat reached over to fix the sleeping girl’s awful bedhead.

“How is she?” The cat asked quietly. 

“Seems fine. The blanket is keeping her warm.” He responded “It's charmed for heat.” 

“Hm…” The Badge Seller approached, feeling the blankets fabric at the girl’s shoulder. “Smart idea…” they muttered, shaking the child slightly “Please awaken, little one.” 

She grumbled a bit, but woke up “Hm? Uh, hi” She blinked at the Badge Seller, giving him a tired smile as she lifted her head. 

“How do you feel, little one?” 

“Mmh... “ She lead her head back down against Snatcher “I feel okay” 

“Do you feel warm?” They asked. 

“... Yeah, mostly” She answered

“Mostly?” Snatcher grumbled, seeming almost offended “What do you mean ‘mostly’? Blanket not warm enough for you?” 

“Well I mean… my head is a little cold and my chest still feels like… lukewarm.” she attempted to explain, a hand wandering to where her heart was. 

The Badge Seller put their hand on the girls’ forehead for a moment, the mask never changing in its expression. 

“Hm…. Child, would you please come out of your blanket for a moment?” He asked, cautiously. 

She sat herself up in the blanket, and rubs at her eyes for a second to wake herself up a little more “Uh… Okay” 

She took the blanket off her shoulders, already feeling a chill permeate, and climbed her way out of Snatchers coil. Just as she stood up on the bed, a cold, sharp pain clutched her chest and she froze in place, gasping as the ice crawled rapidly out of her heart and cascaded itself across her body. 

The blanket was wrapped around her the moment she fell, gasps and startled shouts filling the room from Cooking Cat and Snatcher. 

Just a few seconds, - just a few damned seconds and the ice had nearly reached her face. The paleness in her hair was sheer white now, and her eyes. 

Stars above, her eyes were pale, periwinkle blue. 

Snatcher wrapped her up thoroughly, tightly holding her against his chest as the silence lingered for a few seconds too long. The ghost watched with some relief as the blue retracted, and the ice left her face.. But the white in her hair remained, and when she looked up at him, her eyes had not returned to their regular, deep color. Her trembling seemed equal parts cold and fear. 

“What the- what the hell was that!?” The Snatcher bared his shadowy fangs at the Badge Seller, growing overwhelmingly large in the bedroom.

“.. It is as I feared” The Badge Seller stated “Your magic, the fire magic. It's not fighting it back.. Not by much. It is like a dam, _holding_ it back.” The being explained “... We need to get this fixed, Now. You cannot hold the ice queen’s magic back forever” 

“ _Well I sure can try, dammit!_ ” Snatcher nearly yelled. He could still feel her shivering. 

“Now now!” Cooking Cat shouted “Badge Seller… Surely, we haven’t exhausted all of our options?” 

“I fear the only person I know that may help is not available” The being admitted, looking back at Snatcher “Snatcher, do you know _any_ being that can untangle magic?” 

The ghost made a thoughtful face… that turned into an annoyed grimace

“... What Moon phase was it over Subcon last night?” He asked aloud

“Nearly full, tomorrow it will be full” The Badge Seller responded promptly

Snatcher looked out the window of the child’s room, seeing the sun was high in the sky over his home forest. 

“Then I guess that means I have to give Moonboy a visit tonight” He almost seemed to snarl. 

“Moonboy?” Cici’s brow furrowed. 

“Don’t ask. But… He’ll help. He’s too nice not to” Snatcher admitted with a huff.

“Good. I will still reach out to my.. Other friend. To be certain of our options” The seller voiced “We are running low on time” 

“Yeah, you’ve inferred that a’plenty” Snatcher growled 

“Will you two stop it?!” Cici shouted, getting between them “You” she pointed to the Badge Seller “Stop goading him and you” She wagged her finger at Snatcher “Stop taking the bait! She’s gonna be fine and you two are gonna look like fools at the end of this.” She huffed, reaching over and smoothing the little girl’s slightly frazzled hair. She hadn’t said a word since before she’d nearly frozen over. 

She looked back at the Cooking Cat with misty eyes that conveyed her fear without having to say a word. The cat’s hand went to her face, which still felt cold despite the enchantment of the blanket, rubbing a paw pad on the child’s cheek. 

“You’re gonna be fine, sugar. I’ll see to it if I have to do it myself, okay?” The cat reassured “I’m gonna go with the Seller here to see if his friend can help, and if not, there’s always Snatcher’s friend-” 

“Not my friend” 

“Shut up” The cat snapped at him, then looked back at the girl, who managed a nervous smile “Now, you keep bein’ the lil’ angel you are and stay in the blanket, okay?” 

The girl just nodded. 

“Good, good. We’ll be back as soon as we can” She gave the little girl a nuzzle, and nodded at the Badge Seller. They nodded back to her, walking over to the door of the bedroom with Cici following behind. 

The two left without a word. 

Snatcher took a moment to readjust her in his arms, and curled up on her bed, finally taking a break from floating and shrinking himself back down to a more manageable size. Smaller, even. 

He realized after a long stretch of quiet she hadn’t said a word. 

“... Kid?” 

“.... You never told me your name” She deflected “I got distracted, and you didn’t tell me before… when we were talking earlier” 

He contemplated for a moment, adjusting her again so that her head was resting where his shoulder would be.. If he had them. 

“Well… Names are very important in Subcon” He started “My _true name_? That’s somethin’ i’m not too keen on telling you. It’d mean you’d have power over me” 

“... True names?” 

Snatcher thought again for a moment. He knew she was trying to get him to talk. She desperately wanted a distraction… not that he could blame her. He cleared this throat.

“Well, your true name is.. What it sounds like, your true name. The name the universe gives you. When you are born, you are born with a true name that, depending on how your planet names you, you might not even know until much later in life, if at all” He tried to explain “Knowing someone’s true name? That requires a wild amount of trust. Like, you trust that person with your life kinda trust. You can control people’s entire lives with their true names if you’re well enough with magic.” 

“.. Is… that why you go by Snatcher?” 

“Partially. It’s mostly because I didn’t want to use my real name anymore, and people started calling me Snatcher many moons ago” He explained “I haven’t used my true name in hundreds of years.” 

“... Do I have one?” She meekly asked. 

“Everyone has one” He answered

“Do you know it?” 

He fell into quiet for a moment 

She looked up at him, eyes wide “... You do?” 

“Well, not exactly but.. I have an idea of it” He admitted “True names are… strange” 

“Can you tell me?” She asked 

“.. How about this? I’ll tell you when you’re better” He reasoned “Deal?”

“Hm…. “ She leaned her head against his fluffy scruff “.. One condition” 

“Oh?” He couldn’t help but smirk. 

“You gotta tell me yours” 

“.... Deal, kiddo” He poked her forehead “If I know yours, you’ll know mine. Deal’s a deal. I won’t even make you sign a contract, hm?” 

She smiled a little, her head turning into his fluff and sighed. 

Snatcher thanked the moon and stars and his long dead father that she seemed much calmer now. King Jakob had always been good at distracting him from his anxiousness. A helpful skill that Snatcher was surprised that he remembered, but was grateful that he did. 

He decided to ignore that he kept using his _father’s_ tricks that the man had used to help his _children_.

Yup. Totally going to ignore that. 

He stays with her in silence, a hand on her back, holding her against him in the enchanted blanket, having re-ignited the fire in his chest as an extra barrier to the cold. If he wanted to rest more, he wasn’t going to stop her. 

“.. Hey Snatcher?” 

“Mmh” he snapped himself out of his daze, hand rubbing her back a bit “Yeah kid?” 

“... Do… Do you think maybe when this is over.. I can park my ship in Subcon?” She asked nervously, not looking up at him. 

“Why?” 

“... Cause I wanna stay on this planet and.. Well, I can’t orbit forever. Cause eventually the ship is gonna… you know, run outta fuel” She explained, her voice somewhat slurred and her head very comfy on his shoulder, though still not looking at him “I’s kay if… you don’t want me to.. I can park somewhere else…” 

“Hm… Well, as long as it's in a large enough clearing, or at the edge of the forest. I don’t see why not” He agreed “You’ll have to sign a contract though” he winked down at her, seeing that she was finally looking at him. 

She giggled a little, though it was soft. “... Are you sure it's okay?” 

“Yeah kid.” He joked lightly “I mean, who else is gonna do all those chores with the Minions? They’d miss you too if you landed your ship in say, that bird studio lot. Besides, I think i’d miss your near-daily annoyances” 

She didn’t respond at first, but her little hand fisted his shirt, and sniffled. 

“... Kid?” 

“... You’d miss me?” 

Snatcher bristled. Was she crying? Was his little joke really affecting her that deeply? 

He raised his free hand - 

**Wait**

He stared at the 5 digits and internally screamed. How the hell had this happened?? Again?? 

He wanted to freak out again, but he heard a whimper from his shoulder. 

Worry about your emotional vulnerability later, you idiot! 

His hand went to her hair, straightening it out from his still frazzled state and resting the hand at her neck - partially in comfort, partially to keep her from seeing him looking like this. 

“Yeah kid, yeah” He assured, brain scrambling for the right thing to say. She was still pulling at his shirt with her little fist, and a silly part of himself wondered if she’d somehow rip it “I’d miss you a whole lot if you ditched me.” 

He could feel a dampness on his neck from the little girl’s tears. Was this really so important to her? 

“Sorry I…. I didn’t think anyone would miss me… And I …” 

“.. You what?” 

She sniffed “I’m scared… I don’t wanna-” she let out a little sob “I don’t wanna freeze and no one would miss me…” 

There it was. 

He absent-mindedly leaned his head against hers. She seemed partially out of it, so he wasn’t worried that she would even notice his change in form. 

“You can be scared” He said, readjusting the child again “But you’re gonna be fine, and back to running around Subcon and bothering me until the heat death of the universe.” 

She was starting to calm down, letting out a weak chuckle 

“Thanks for takin’ care of me” she mumbled, finally sounding that she was actually falling asleep. “Y’didn’t have to…” 

He decided not to reply, just rubbing her back until, finally, her breath had slowed and she fell asleep. 

“You’re wrong” he muttered, fixing his - _ew, legs_ \- so she was resting in his lap. His eyes fell on her pale, white hair from her roots, fading into her natural color which still shone at her hair’s ends 

“.. I did”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, sorry to extend again, but for real, the next chapter will be the last... and LOOOOOONG


	5. Act 5: Split the Ice Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _... And Break the Frozen Heart_

In the hours she slept, Snatcher barely moved. 

As a ghost, he didn’t really need to sleep, and he didn’t particularly want to, currently. 

There was a part of him that wondered if the ice would return, that his magic wouldn’t hold it back for much longer. 

That if he shut his glowing eyes, she’d be a statue when he opened them back up again. 

Not really a risk he wanted to take.. Though he did eventually turn back into his more ghostly form, if only because it was more comfortable for the both of them. 

She woke up at some indeterminate time, not moving or saying anything, but her eyes were open, and she was looking out at the window, where the world moved slowly beneath them. 

She reveled in the blankets warmth, and the extra coming off of the fluffy ghost she was resting on. His hand was on her back, keeping her secure. 

“... Snatcher?” 

“Evenin’ kiddo” He answered her, his voice quieter than she’d ever heard it. 

“Who’s “Moonboy”?” 

“.. He goes by MoonJumper. He’s a …. Being, that exists in a dimension called 'The Horizon'" Snatcher explained “That's what he calls it, anyway” 

“Is he magic?” 

“Very. He’s also very annoying” Snatcher grumbled. “But his magic is directly related to tangling, so if anyone can help you, he should” 

“... Why didn’t you ask him earlier?” 

“Well, cause he can only come into Subcon on full moons. Something about the moon’s light? It’s dumb” He waved it off. 

“.. Huh” 

She didn’t talk for a bit, still watching the planet. 

“Kid, I’ve got a question for ya” 

“Hm?” She looked up at him. 

“Why do you really want to stay?” He asked “You seemed pretty eager to leave before, then you ask me if you can just park your ship. ” 

At first, she didn’t respond, looking up at him from tired eyes. 

“... Cause it’s lonely in space, and… I just like it here” 

“I thought you liked traveling through space” 

“I - I do but… I just… “ She struggled to articulate “This place… It feels like a home, I think” 

“Home?” 

“Yeah, aren’t you supposed to want to stay home?” 

Snatcher thought about that for a while, looking to the window. Night was nearly upon Subcon. They didn’t have much time. 

“Home is more a place you can… return to, a place you want to be, but don’t have to be. You can travel all over, but you can always go back there. Isn’t that what the “Time Trees” are supposed to be for you?” 

“... The Time School never really felt like home. I always wanted to leave there” She admitted “Is it.. Bad, that I want Subcon to be my home?” 

Snatcher had a bit of a heart attack at that question - or, he would have, if he’d had a heart. 

Subcon. She wanted Subon to be her home? Not just the planet itself?

He could almost feel his form ripple, but he stopped it. Not now, you fool. Not now. 

“It's not bad, kid” he started “But uh, its just surprising. This whole planet wasn’t exactly nice to you to start. Now you want to call it your home?” 

“... Everyone is nicer now” She argued weakly. 

“Kid, please. Just tell me the truth” 

She looked away from him “I’m happy here, with everyone” 

Ah yes, vague answer. 

“Sure. I’m happy with the Mustache Girl too” he responded sarcastically. 

Her face seemed to turn red in embarrassment 

“Come on kiddo, just give me a straight answer” 

She shoved her head in his fluff, and suddenly sputtered out, partially muffled- 

“Iwannastaywithyou!” 

… A part of him wished that he hadn’t heard that, or misheard it - because oh boy, if his brain hadn’t short-circuited before… 

But his eyes caught the window

The moon was, at long last, hanging over Subcon. 

“Looks like it’s time to pay Moony a visit!” he suddenly shouted, floating up with the girl firmly in one arm “Ready to not feel cold?” 

She didn’t look up at him, but nodded. 

He decidedly didn’t say anything else, and fell into the shadows, down to his home 

O0o0o0o0o

The clearing where Moon Jumper often appeared was almost dangerously close to Vanessa’s manor - within her magic’s distance. She’d know that they were there if they stayed too long. 

But it was a risk that needed taking. 

The clearing itself wasn’t anything special. There was a hollowed tree where the spectre seemed to make themselves at home when he was corporeal. When our sick little friend looked inside, she saw there was a small desk and chair, but not much else. 

“Where is he?” She asked, looking out into the sparse grass and flowers that fought their way through the permafrost. 

“He should be here any moment, unless he’s already here and is avoiding me” Snatcher grumbled, taking in an unnecessary breath. 

“MOONBOY, GET YOUR INCORPOREAL BUTT OUT HERE!” 

There was a moment of silence, followed by the moonlight seeming to… _shimmer_ , a line of sparkling light was drawn by an invisible hand, and the light itself seemed to rip apart by clawed, blue hands. 

Out of the rift came a… man? Being? With blue skin and a head shaped like that of a crescent moon - she understood where his name came from now. His wide eyes looking down at Snatcher from his entrance, and then his focus landed on the girl in his arms, interest seemingly piqued. 

“Are you going to keep staring or what?” Snatcher snapped at the being, who gave him a perplexed expression, and emerged completely from his rift, the light closing up and fading away behind him. 

“Hello to you too, friend” 

“I don’t have time for pleasantries” 

The being - Moon Jumper- ignored the other spectre for a moment, floating down and giving the best closed-mouth smile they could manage for the little girl. 

“Hello there, you are quite new” They greeted. 

“Uh , hi” She responded, uncharacteristically shy. There was something about him that seemed familiar that she couldn’t place. Their voice, perhaps? 

“Your magic, it untangles, right?” Snatcher interrupted. 

The being looked up at Snatcher, brow furrowing 

“Yes, it does” 

“We… I… _She_ needs your help” 

Moon Jumper looked back down at her, seeing her pale eyes and whitened hair. He spotted just a little blue skin at the edges of her shirt. 

“What happened?” He asked her, his voice soft. 

“I…. I went into the manor and…” she swallowed. Why was she so nervous? “And she hit me with a blast of ice and.. I didn’t turn into a statue.. Not right away” 

There was worry now, on the Moon Jumper’s face. They looked up to Snatcher 

“It’s taken root in her heart, and its spreading. The only thing keeping it at bay is the blanket - its-” 

“Enchanted” Moon Jumper finished. “So you wish for me to untangle it?” 

“I.. Yes” Snatcher looked away, adjusting the child in his hold “I know that I’ve been shitty to you and I don’t have an excuse but-” 

Moon Jumper held up his hand. 

“Say no more, friend” the being’s static-y voice - he sounded like he was coming through on a radio station - reverberated “I am always happy to help. It's not as if I don’t understand your distaste for me.” 

Snatcher just grumbled at that 

“Into my hollow, please” The blue ghost motioned before floating inside, a wave of the hand lighting some bright candles. 

Snatcher followed them behind, with the girl in his arms still preoccupied with what about Moon Jumper seemed so familiar. 

Their voice? The way they move? Their glitching at the edges of their form, very similar to that of the-

“Badge Seller?” 

Moon Jumper paused “Pardon me, little dear?” 

“Do you know the Badge Seller?” She asked “You remind me of him” 

Moon Jumper's face was unreadable for a moment

“Nope! Now, can you place her on the desk, please?” 

Her brow furrowed, but Snatcher put her down for the first time in hours. Despite not leaving the blanket, she felt colder. 

Moon Jumper’s hands went to her face, looking into her eyes - his visible eye scrutinizing her. 

“Were your eyes always this pale, dear?” 

“... Pale?” 

Moon Jumper looked back to Snatcher, whose expression was almost sheepish. He turned back to her. 

“It’s alright. It won’t be for long” The ghost assured. 

That didn’t reassure her too much. 

Moon Jumper took their hands off of her face, and placed two fingers on her chest, right over her heart. He took a deep breath, and pulled his fingers away with an exhale, and watched as icy blue strands flowed out. The child stared with wide, terrified eyes at the tangled, sharp looking strings. Like steel wool. 

“... Oh my” Moon Jumper commented

“Well? Can you fix it?” Snatcher asked, his voice just below frantic. 

He stared at the tangled mess. Seeing the magic desperately trying to surge, and almost… leaking … from it. 

“... Yes… But, she cannot keep the blanket on. The magic needs to flow so I can work with it” He explained “My own magic will be keeping it at bay.. But It _needs_ to flow” 

“B-but what if I freeze?” She whimpered, gripping the blanket tighter. 

“You will not, little one” he assured, one hand reaching to hold over hers “I will be sure of it” 

She looked back up to Snatcher, her eyes showing that same fear from just a couple of hours ago. 

He looked at Moon Jumper, who was giving him a determined look. 

He had to trust him. It was that, or one day, the girl would be frozen, like the trapped souls in Vanessa’s manor. 

They had no other choice. 

Snatcher took in a breath he didn’t need, and put his hand over where Moon Jumper's was, resting on the child’s hand. 

“I trust him. He’ll do what he has to, to make you better” 

The girl nodded, moving her hands to hold Snatcher’s “.. Okay” 

Moon Jumper looked up to Snatcher “Snatcher, please… keep watch. We are close to her… I don’t want to risk anything” 

Snatcher nodded “Alright” He moved his hand, hearing a quiet, worried whimper from the little alien. “Hey, I’ll be right outside, okay?” 

Her eyes were filled with fear, misty with scared tears, but she nodded, and he hesitantly went to stay right at the entrance, glowing eyes staring out into the dark forest. 

“Now, Now, little one” Moon Jumper got the girl’s attention “Look at me” 

She looked up

“You are going to be fine. Now.. let me take the blanket” He held his hand out, rather than grabbing for it. 

With much nervousness, she pulled the handmade blanket off, and, slowly, held it out to him. 

The moment it was off of her, his hand holding the threads clenched in a fist, causing the magic to seize, the tangle condensing. 

She didn’t freeze. 

She let go of a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. 

“See? You’re going to be fine, little one” Moon Jumper comforted, taking the blanket and placing it gently to the side. She managed a nervous smile at that. 

She let herself hope.. Just a little bit. 

0o0o0o0o0o0

She felt warmer as time passed, as Moon Jumper tangled the frozen threads. 

Still not… _warm_ , but _warm-er_. 

“How are you, dear?” Moon Jumper asked 

“Uh.. uhm.. I’m okay” She answered, having sat pretty still for the indeterminate amount of time it was taking “How is it going?” 

“Slow, but well. You’re going to be fine” he assured once more, a claw cutting a rather thick piece of “thread” off of the tangle. “Snatcher? Any sign of… her?” 

“No, not yet” Snatcher voiced, having not looked back at the girl or the other ghost since it started, eyes trained to the forest. 

“Good… good. I feel as if I am about halfway done” Moon Jumper voiced, continuing to disentangle the threads. Every time a string was removed, the color left it, and it faded from his hands. The girl tilted her head at the display. 

At the very least watching the blue ghost work passed the time reasonably well. 

But then there was a sound in the forest. Like steps on the rough floor. She turned her head to look out, eyes widening in concern. 

“No, no, look at me” Moon Jumper used a free hand to tilt his head “It’s probably nothing” 

“But-” 

“It's fine, kid. Let Moon Jumper work. If it turns out to be something, I’ll take care of it” Snatcher commented almost dismissively. 

She furrowed her brow, and looked back up to Moon Jumper, who gave the most reassuring smile they could muster. 

The steps got louder, joined by a clinging, glass-like noise. 

“Look at me” Moon Jumper stated again, seeing her eyes wander “Do not look away from me” 

Snatcher clenched his “fist” seeing a miasma come close, sinking into the clearing and tinted dark red. 

He inhaled a deep, unneeded breath. 

“Keep working, Moonboy” 

“.. Be careful, Satcher” 

“Focus on the girl” Snatcher chided. “I’ll take care of the ice witch” 

Moon Jumper sighed, and nodded. “Tell me, little one” 

“... Huh?” 

“Where are you from?” he asked, deliberately looking to distract her. 

Thankful for Moon Jumper attempting to keep the girl occupied, he watched as red eyes stared back at him. 

“You’ve got a lot of gaul, comin’ out like this” The black ghost sneered

A long, clawed hand dug into a tree, lifting up a body bent over from years of disuse. 

“ Tr… ai… t..or….” 

“.. You have no idea” He responded. 

There was a part of him that was hurt seeing her look like that. 

But there was a bigger part of him that knew it was self inflicted - and that she has no qualms freezing children to death. 

He’d get over whatever small amount of guilt he might feel 

Regardless of the fear gripping his chest. 

There was a terrible moment of quiet, before she struck out first, clawed hand seeming to grab for him, rather than swipe at him. 

He leaned away from the hollow - watching with some relief as her piercing red eyes remained fixated on him, and he felt power build but in his claws. 

“That all you got?” He grit his fangs “I expected more from you, ice queen!” His claws glowed a menacing, sickly yellow, and he made a harsh swipe at her, aiming for her eyes. 

And she also dodged. 

To describe the majority of this fight would be a futile list of attempted hits and blast and misses of those hits and blasts. Moon Jumper did a truly excellent job reassuring the child, keeping her eyes away from the fight. 

“I can’t see!” She argued

“That’s for the best” Moon Jumper argued right back “Anxiety might cause the magic to surge, you need to pay attention here” 

“But-” 

“No buts, young lady. Look at me” 

She pouted, looking deeply unhappy at the ghost's good sense. 

“Remember, little one, Snatcher is a ghost, he cannot die.” 

“B-but he can still get hurt” 

“But he will not die. You, however, are very at risk” 

She looked back down again - the helplessness causing a misty sheen to her eyes. 

“... I know you are worried” They voiced. “I am too” He briefly lifted her head “Child, trust him. He’s doing this to protect us. To protect _you_ ” 

“That’s all he’s been _doing!_ ” She argued weakly. 

“That’s what adults are supposed to do, dear. Even old, cranky, fluffy snakes” 

“.. Not where I’m from”

Moon Jumper looked briefly behind them, seeing that the fighting was still mostly swings and misses, and looked back at her. 

“Well… I don’t think I’m much a fan of those “Time Trees” you were telling me about” Moon Jumper comment “Children aren’t meant to take on so much responsibility. They’re meant to be taken care of, loved” 

“I was” She argued

“Were you, dear? Is that why you told me you’re going to be putting your spaceship here?” 

The girl wasn’t even able to come up with some kind of argument, when the two heard a harsh screech

Someone had landed a hit. 

And the pained sounds told both Moon Jumper and the helpless girl that it had not been Snatcher. 

The blue ghost turned around sharply, seeing a harsh, glow-y yellow ooze out from the ghosts side. It was already recovering, already closing, but it was enough to give Vanessa some sort of upper hand. 

The witch grabbed at him, right near his throat

“You- you killed him, you KILLED HIM” She hissed. 

Snatcher grabbed at her arms, claws digging in

“... You killed him, leaving him to _rot_ -!!” He tried to shove her off, but she screeched at him, beating him to it and putting her entire body into launching him across the clearing. 

He stayed down. 

Moon Jumper felt a sudden shiver at this. If he stayed down - she would come for them next. 

“No!!” 

Moon Jumper startled, and only just saw the still-very-much-not-out-of-the-woods-yet child leaping off of his desk. 

“ChilD!!!” The ghost nearly squealed in panic, the threads he was pulling at snapping and disappearing from sight. 

“ _Leave him alONE!!!_ ” The child screamed, running as her chest seized with freezing temperature, ice spreading, spreading

And then… everything stopped. 

Snatcher finally looked up, and his already frayed expression fell further. 

“No…” He muttered, pushing himself up and staring at the glistening ice before him. 

His approach was slow, disbelieving. His vision seemed to nearly fade out until the only thing he saw was… _her_

He hadn’t noticed his smaller, five-fingered hands gripping her tiny, frozen face. 

He hadn’t noticed the bangs getting in his eyes, or that he had fallen to his knees. 

He didn’t register the shock on Moon Jumper’s face, or the absolute bewilderment on Vanessa’s. 

He couldn’t even be bothered with the sizzling sound of his golden tears as they dropped from his face and hit the frosted forest floor.

Why did any of it even matter? 

She had frozen

He had _failed_

True to form - true to who she’d always been - she was frozen in an act of brazen defiance, one hand above her head, her face stuck in an expression of fierce determination and protectiveness. Hell bent on defending him from Vanessa’s final bow, from an attack that would have rendered him defeated, torn to pieces by her vicious claws after having been beaten to the ground. 

“Why?” he almost whined. His voice held no echo, no power, no strength. “You were… so close…” his hands desperately attempted to get a better grip on her face, but her cheeks were smooth as glass, giving him no purchase. 

“WHY?!” He wailed, voice quaking with grief “You- you IDIOT!! You FOOLISH CHILD!!” 

His head dropped to her little shoulder, letting out a wailing sob. His thick tears falling on her frozen arm. 

Moon Jumper floated just a little closer, trembling. 

“I… Snatcher.. I’m-” 

“Don’t” The ghost interrupted wetly. “She… she would have done it anyway.. It’s… it's who she … I…” 

Moon Jumper looked at the ground, hand over his chest, feeling that painful ache of grief. 

“... I never… I never got to tell her.. Her true name… I promised that.. When she was better I’d…” 

Moon Jumper looked up “You..” 

“ _Hesperia_ ” Snatcher whimpered “... Her name is Hesperia.... It means Star” 

“I-.. Snatcher-” 

“I told her that I’d give her mine… I-I… and now I … She’s stuck- I-” 

“Snatcher” Moon Jumper tried to interrupt. 

“She can’t even pass on! She’s- She’s stuck, frozen-” 

“ **Snatcher!!** ” Moon Jumper shouted

The ghost looked back to Moon Jumper with a sharp turn of his head. 

“Look” The blue ghost motioned to the frozen child. 

Snatcher looked back at her, pulling back slightly and what Moon Jumper pointed to. 

Cracks, spreading from her chest and spider-ing out like a web 

The ghost nearly freaked out further as some of the ice fell away, but when it fell away, it was not hollow, nor more ice. It was… it was her shirt, her skin. The ice continued to crumble away, and she moved - she moved! 

As the outer layer of ice fell off of her, Snatcher reached out to grab her before she fell, gripping her shirt and looking on with a relieved sort of bewilderment. 

His hand went to her chest, right over where her heart is on the right side. 

It was beating

Her heart was _beating_. 

Almost frantic, he laid her on the ground, unbuttoning her shirt a bit to look at the area over her heart. 

No blue, no spider-ing white. He looked back up at her face. Her hair was no longer white. 

His hand went to her forehead. Warm. She was warm. 

Perhaps a bit too warm? But she was _warm_! 

His thumb rubbed her forehead, and he looked up at Moon Jumper

“What… How did…” 

“I… Don’t know” Moon Jumper admitted, floating to the other side of the child, whose chest rose and fell with her sleeping breath. 

“Ah, Good. She’s recovered.” 

Moon Jumper and Snatcher looked over to the source of the voice - suddenly noticing that Vanessa had left the clearing, not even a remnant of her ice. 

Standing there at the edge was the Badge Seller, with the Cooking Cat. The Cat immediately ran over to the little girl when she spotted her, falling to her knees. 

“Oh, thank goodness gracious!” The cat nearly cried from relief. “How did you do it?” 

Snatcher furrowed his brow, his ghostly eyes still misty - though now from relief, not grief. He was grateful no one was pointing out his current form. 

“We.. I don’t know” 

“She just… cracked, and it fell off of her. We don’t know how” Moon Jumper explained, looking back at the Badge Seller with a rather uncomfortable stare. 

The Seller’s head tilted, and he suddenly spoke. 

“Only love can break the frozen heart” He explained “The type of love doesn’t matter” 

Snatcher was only more confused. 

“ _to break the ice apart… One must break a frozen heart_ ” 

“You’re not making any sense” Moon Jumper aggressed “What do you mean by this?” 

“The ghost of Subcon forest needed a “wake up call”. To fix his heart, and to heal the child’s, his had to break first” 

“... Wait, are you telling me-” Cooking Cat stared at her friend incredulously. 

“I’m afraid I did have to engage in a little deception, yes.” The Seller bowed their head slightly “I apologize. But there was no other assured-” 

_**WHAM!** _

The beings mask met with Cookie’s frying pan so hard Snatcher was almost certain she had broken it. 

She hadn’t, which seemed a little disappointing. 

“You’re telling me you led me around on a WILD GOOSE CHASE FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS???” 

“Oh, Ow…” The Seller rubbed their mask “I did what I needed to do, Cookie” 

“You’re lucky she’s not frozen solid and that you’re stupid plan worked!” She threatened another hit, and felt a rather smug satisfaction at the Seller’s flinch

“I understand your frustration, Cookie. I am sorry for misleading you” 

“Oh, you’re _gonna_ be sorry, you sad excuse for a -” 

“Wait!” Moon Jumper interjected. 

The cat froze, looking back at the blue ghost. 

“You” Moon Jumper pointed to the seller “You’re from… _there_ , aren’t you?” 

The seller didn’t respond. 

“... How are you out?” 

“... It's a complicated story” 

“What? Of course it is- I -” 

“Shut up” Snatcher suddenly spoke out - ending the conversation. 

The trio turned to see Snatcher, his form still human-esque, holding the child in his arms

“You” He glared at the Badge Seller with a bearing of his fangs “You’re lucky she’s alive or I’d rip you to pieces with my bared claws. Now, You will teach Moonboy how you got out, and maybe I’ll consider your deception forgiven… maybe” 

“... It’d be my pleasure” The Seller responded 

“Oh, you better” Cookie threatened. 

“Cat” 

The chef pulled back at Snatcher’s request, and looked back at him again, looking at the child and approaching, paw going up to the girl’s head “... Oh… She’s…. Very warm. Feverish even.. She needs to be in bed.. Somethin’ tells me she’s not gonna be feelin great when she wakes up.” 

Snatcher nodded, then looked back at Moon Jumper, who was wringing his hands together nervously. 

“.. Thank you, Moon Jumper” 

The blue ghosts eyes widened “... You’re welcome, Snatcher” He gave him a small smile “... I’m happy that she is okay” 

“.. So am I” Snatcher responded “Now, go talk to that peck-neck. Maybe you and her can have a more.. proper introduction in the future” 

Moon Jumper couldn’t stop his smile from growing. “I’ll hold you to that, friend” 

Snatcher just nodded, “Cat. Hold my sleeve” 

The cat did so, and the group was suddenly torn through shadows, back up to the girl’s ship 

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hesperia woke up feeling…. Gross. She felt sweaty, kind of clammy, and … hot. 

Her eyes snapped open wide. 

She felt _hot_

Scrambling slightly, her dizzy haze left her fumbling, falling back down onto her pillow before a pair of cooler hands held her up.

“Hey, hey, calm down” A soft voice instructed, and she grabbed at the arms, enjoying the cooling sensation on her hands 

“H-hot…” 

“Yeah, you’ve got a nasty fever,” The voice explained. She couldn’t tell who it was, her vision blurry and everything fuzzed together as it reached her ears. “You were cold for so long your body seems to be… course correcting, somehow” 

“.. Huh?” Was all she could muster, and she heard a chuckle. 

“Lay back down, kiddo. If you’re more aware when you wake back up, the cat’ll get you some food, okay?” 

“Mmh.. Food..?” She mumbled, being laid back down 

“Yeah, food” The voice laughed a little at that “Rest” 

Before she could fight it, everything faded away… 

When she woke again. She still felt hot, but much more aware of her surroundings. 

Her vision was blurry at first, but after some blinking, she saw that she was in her room, under a thin sheet and surrounded by soft pillows. 

And she was alone 

“... Hello?” She tried to say, but her voice felt weak, and it didn’t raise very high. 

There was a sudden sound off of the side of the bed, and a form suddenly popped up at her left side, a slightly familiar purple man dressed in silly clothes leaning over. 

“Hey! Hey, hey there, you’re actually awake this time, ugh, thank god.” The man’s cool hand landed on her forehead “You’re still pretty hot… Cat?! Cat!” He yelled “She’s awake! Get her something to eat!” 

She grimaced “Loud” 

“Oh, oh.. Sorry, sorry kiddo” 

That was a familiar word 

“... Snatcher?” She voiced, sounding well and good like she had a cold. 

He sighed, his hand leaving her forehead, and pushing his hair back from his face “.. Yeah?” 

"... You got puffy sleeves instead’a puffy fur” She randomly pointed out, a hand reaching up and pulling at it in amusement. 

He couldn’t hold back a little laugh at that, his yellow eyes seeming to glisten “Good to see your bad sense of humor is still intact” he joked, sitting at her bedside, his form still unchanged. 

Her brow furrowed a little “... What happened?” 

His little smile left him, his expression unreadable for a moment, and he looked away

“You nearly killed yourself trying to defend me. Despite what Moon Jumper _and I_ told you, you left while he was trying to save you, and you froze from your heart to your head” He nearly hissed, trying to keep his tone even. 

She is a child, Snatcher, and she’s sick. Don’t yell at her

“I thought you’d up and died” He cleared his non-existent throat. 

“Oh… Are you okay?” She asked meekly. 

He looked back at her, his glowing eyes still glistening, misty. 

“Yeah, kid. I’m okay” 

She frowned “But.. you look like you’re gonna cry” 

He couldn’t hold back a chuckle. Admittedly, it did kinda sound like a sob. 

“Kid, you came back to life after being frozen solid. I’m allowed to be a little emotional” He argued “Plus, I have something for you. I promised” 

Her brow furrowed. 

Before he could say anything else, the door to her room opened, and Cooking Cat bounded in with a plate and cup 

“Hello, darling!” She grinned - practically beaming with happiness “So good to see you awake, dear!” 

“Hi Cookie” The girl smiled back 

“Hungry?” The cat asked as she placed the plate and glass at her bedside. 

“A little…” 

“Good!” She looked to the ghost “Help her to sit up” 

He did so, piling pillows behind her and sitting her up. 

The next 15 or so minutes was quiet, but comforting. She ate very slowly, sipping the cold water in between bites of her sandwich. She was happy not to be so cold anymore, but feeling this grossly hot didn’t make things much better. 

But hey, she wasn’t blue anymore. She’d take it. 

After eating, Cooking cat gently wrapped an arm around her hugging her tightly “I’m so happy you’re okay, darlin’ “ 

“.. How did I not stay frozen forever?” She asked, almost nervously. 

“Ooohhhh Honey, you’re gonna have to give me and your ghost friend a little time. What happened.. Well, it's hard to explain, and frankly, might change your mind ‘bout a few things. We’ll tell you soon, okay? Once the fever has broken.” 

Snatcher silently thanked her for summing up how the two of them felt without making it sound so bad.

“Uh… okay. Promise?” 

“Promise, dear” The cat nuzzled the girls slightly sweaty forehead “Now, I’m gonna head back down to check on a few things. I’ll see you soon” 

The girl smiled and nodded before the cat left, and it was just her and Snatcher - still human-shaped. The Ghost was currently sitting at the little stool by her vanity, reading a book but looking up at her periodically. 

“... Hey Snatcher?” 

“Hm?” 

“What's that thing you promised?” 

“.. I promised I’d tell you your true name” 

“Oh yeah!” She recalled, sounding brighter than when she first woke up “And yours! You promised” 

He gave her an amused fanged smile 

“I did, didn’t I?” 

She nodded “Are ya gonna tell me?” 

“Well, are you better?” He teased. 

“Come onnnn” She groaned “I'm not cold anymore, I wanna know!” 

He shut his book, making it disappear in a puff of smoke, and stood, walking over to her 

“... It's weird seeing you walk” She pointed out, and she just gave him a grin. 

“It’s weird _to_ walk, but I'm uh, still dealing with some stuff so no ghost form for now” 

“No fuzzy noodle?” 

He snorted “No fuzzy noodle” he responded, sitting down at her bedside for a moment. 

His hand was raised, but he didn’t move it, seeming to want to reach over to her, but hesitant. 

Reading his nerves, She reached up and grabbed his hand, and he ended up squeezing her little hand. 

“Hi… What’s your name?” She said as if it was just a greeting, as if she was just meeting him for the first time all over again. 

He gave her a gentle smile. For someone so young, she sure did know how to read people. 

“ _Jericho_ ” 

Her eyes were wide “... Jericho? That means … Moon?” 

“It does” He nodded 

She made a thoughtful face, bouncing their joined hands a bit as she took a moment to soak in the name. 

“It's really nice. I like it” 

“Well I’d hope so. The universe gave me that name” 

She giggled, but it faded off a bit as she squeezed his hand again

“.. And what’s mine?” 

He took a second, thumb rubbing the back of her hand 

“... Hesperia.” He said slowly. “It means “Star”” 

“Wow… that’s so pretty” She contemplated “I guess star makes sense, since I’m in space and stuff” 

Snatcher chuckled just a little, his mind recalling that it took her heart freezing for the universe to reveal that beautiful little name to him. 

This constant emotional back and forth was going to keep him in his human form for a while yet, it seemed. 

“Do you think it's a nice name?” She asked. 

“I do. . . it also means that I can call you “He-he” as a nickname” he grinned, and watched her nearly burst out laughing before forcing herself not to. 

“Mean! If you call me that, I'll start callin’ you Moonie!” 

“Oh, you better not, Snatcher’s fine!” He teased. 

“Suuuuure Moonie” She grinned. 

God, he missed this. He didn’t realize how much he did until he was certain he’d failed. 

Combine that with her wanting to stay… in Subcon, with him. The dots had connected while she’d slept, her fever still not having broken as he realized what she wanted, but didn’t know how to ask for.. Because she’d never had it. 

She was still holding his hand, and not loosely.

He needed to talk about it now- at least to acknowledge it on his end. Before he lost the courage, and let it fall to the wayside. Before he let the opportunity leave, and they’d never bother to address it. 

He’d made that mistake with his father, his mother, his friends… He’d been a coward in life. 

In some ways, he still was. 

But not right now. 

“So, Kiddo… About your future in Subcon.” He started, tapping some of his fingers. 

“..Hm?” 

“You said you wanted to park your ship in Subcon. That you wanted to stay here. With me” 

If her face hadn’t been flushed with fever, she’d have turned red with embarrassment, and she looked away from him. He gently squeezed her hand to get her to look at him again. 

“You really want that, kid?” 

Her eyes - finally back to that beautiful, cerulean blue - stared at him, then looked away again 

“Yeah… But uh, it's okay if you don’t want me to live there… “ 

“No! No, jeez kid. I’d be thrilled” He sputtered a bit, getting her to look back up at him. 

“.. Really?” 

“Really” he affirmed “... If you want Subcon to be your home, I'll do my best. Even brats deserve the best” He let go of her hand, and brushed her hair back from her forehead “Damn, you’re still hot” he huffed. 

She giggled a little 

“Sure, sure so funny.” He playfully teased, reaching over to her bedside table and picking up some pink medicine. “The Cat said that this’ll help with your fever” 

She made a disgusted face 

“Don't be like that. It's-” he read the label “ ‘bubble-gum’ flavor. What the hell is “Bubble gum”?” 

“I gotta teach you stuff” 

“Maybe when you’re not steaming like a clam” 

She stuck out her tongue at him and that got a laugh out of the ghost

He did manage to convince her to take the medicine, and they spent the next half hour discussing where she’d park her ship when she was ready, debating what side of the forest and mentioning the Moon Jumper a handful of times. But as she started to look tired, he let the conversation peter off. 

“... Hey… uh-” She yawned again, laying on her side “Can you read me a story?” 

“.. Sure kid” He answered, getting up for a moment. 

She mused that he didn’t complain this time. 

When he came back, He held the same book from when he read to her before, and his clothes were different. He was dressed in a long shirt and loose pants - they almost looked like 

“Pajamas?” She tiredly questions. 

“Technically” He shrugged 

He put the book down on the bed, and scooted himself in next to her “I'm still on an emotional roller coaster and feel like indulging in this human form” 

“Why’re you so emotional?” 

“That, I’m not ready to talk to you about yet” he commented as she moved over and rested her head on his chest, one of his arms going around her. “Comfy?” 

“Mhm, you’re cold but like… good cold. Makes me feel better” She commented, her eyes only half open. 

“... Well that's nice, isn’t it” He muttered, grabbing the book with another hand 

“Heh, we’re like a moon an’ star” She commented “You’re cold but comfy, and I’m warm and tiny” 

“... You know stars are actually huge, right?” 

“Shhhhhh” 

He chuckled a bit, opening the book to a random story

“ _There once was a girl so beautiful, that when she brushed her hair, gemstones would fall from her beautiful, brown locks….._ ” 

And so he recounted an old tale - one of the few in the book where the lady protagonist was active and worked on her own happy ending. It was a lengthy one, involving a witch and a dim-witted but well meaning prince

“ _... And so, she wed the prince the next year, and never had to worry ever again._ ” He finished, looking down and seeing her softly snoring against his shoulder. 

Peaceful. She looked so peaceful. After a hellish last few days full of anxiousness, he let out a breath, sinking into the pillows. 

“Hm…. ” He muttered, a gentle glow to his fingertips as he patted down her hair. That true name knowledge was already coming in handy. “I suppose you are like a star,” He contemplated quietly. “I’m.. relieved that you’re shining again” 

He leaned his head against hers, feeling her warmth, her heartbeat, her breathing.

… Was this how his father felt? 

He chuckled a little. Jericho realized that he couldn’t deny it now, at least, not to himself. 

He moved her hair again, out of her face and off of her forehead, placing a light, barely there kiss.

“Sweet dreams, little Hesperia” He muttered quietly in the dark of the room, content in knowing that she would wake up the next morning, and that everything was different now… 

But that? That was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we have reached the end! Thank you so much for reading. Got any questions? Comments? Want to scream at me incoherently? Come bug me on Tumblr! My username is DoodleImprovement

**Author's Note:**

> Come bug me on Tumblr over at DoodleImprovement!


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